At this point, there is a 50/50 chance that online casino gaming will be legalized and regulated in the state of Pennsylvania, at least as far as Representative John Payne is concerned. Payne recently provided an update on the progress of online gambling coming to fruition this year for the Keystone State as well as daily fantasy sports. Lawmakers are currently preparing to look at possibly regulating online gaming and DFS next week.

There are only weeks left until the session of the Senate will adjourn and according to Payne, he does not feel that both issues will be taken on by the Senate. Next week, the House Gaming Oversight Committee is set to deliberate a bill involving online gaming, one that is sponsored by Payne.

The Representative is doing everything he can to see online gaming come to pass within the state. However, he is set to retire this November, so only a few weeks remain that he will be in office. Payne stated that it is important for the state to pass legislation in relation to gaming to be able to remain competitive. States surrounding Pennsylvania are already becoming involved in land based gaming and will be competition in the near future.

Payne actually worries that Pennsylvania will become like Atlantic City, an area that has lost five casinos since 2014, with the most recent casino closing taking place via the Trump Taj Mahal. Payne stated that the state is just hurting themselves by not allowing online gaming as surrounding states are not sitting around doing nothing.

For now it is more sitting and waiting. Only a few days remain for the Senate to be in session and according to Payne, there is only a 50/50 chance that the legislation that moved through the House this past June will move through the Senate on to the Governor’s desk this legislation session.